Cloth-folding machine.



W. I. LEWIS. CLOTH FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.29, 1912.

1, 1 09,296. Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

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W. I. LEWIS.

CLOTH FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 001229, 1912.

1,109,296, Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

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W. l. LEWIS.

CLOTH FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 001 .29, 1912.

1,109,296, Patented Sept. 1,1914.

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W. I. LEWIS.

CLOTH FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 001 .29, 1912.

Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

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362295365.- (Qua/a f/MZ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLARD I. LEWIS, or WALPOLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF TO FRANK A. SAYLES, or PAwTUcKET, RHODE ISLAND.

CLOTH-FOLDING maomnn.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

Application filed October 29, 1912. Serial No. 728,431.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLARD I. LEWIS, a

citizen of the United States. residing at out in folds extending in opposite directions alternately.

The invention includes also various complemental features, cooperating with the said folding members, and the novel general construction of the machine.

The leading princi les and features may be variously embodie in practice.

In the drawings,Figure 1 is a front elevation of a machine containing one of the said embodiments. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the said machine. Fig. 3 is a view of said machine in vertical section in the plane indicated by line 3 3, Fig. 1. Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are detail views hereinafter more fully explained. Fig. 9 is a view illustrating a second embodiment.

Having reference to the drawings, in Figs. 2 and 3, the leading portion of the web a, is represented as laid in folds (1 upon a truck 19. The paths of the folding members are indicated by double dotted lines 1, 1, representing in this instance the carrying chains of the folding members. See Fig. 4.

In Fig. 9, which shows another embodiment of the invention, the paths of the folding members correspondwith the courses of the carrying chains 1, 1, for said members. The web a is represented as coming from a supply at a piled upon a truck or platform 0" located at one side of the machine, and as passing from the supply-pile ovcra guiderod a to and partly around a rotating guide and feed-roll a and then to and between the paths of the opposite folding members at the place where they come closest together.

In Figs. 1, 2, 3, etc., the upper portions of the carrying chains 1, 1, pass around sprocket-wheels 2, 2, that are set close together, such sprocket-wheels being fixed on shafts 2, 2, supported in bearings mounted on the framework 2*, 2 of the carriage for the folding mechanism. The lower portions of the said chains pass around guidesheaves 3, 3, that are set more widely apart, so that the paths of the chains and of the folding members carried thereby diverge downwardly. The extent of the divergence corresponds with the length of fold. To enable the said length to be adjusted, the shafts 4, 4, on which guide-sheaves 3, 3, are mounted are themselves mounted in boxes 5, 5,

Fig. 2, supported by adjusting-screws 5, 5,

in hangers 6*, 6, on the carriage framework, and the said hangers themselves may be shifted closer together upon the said framework, or farther apart.

The preferred character of folding member is a pair of clampin jaws adapted to open to receive a bend of the web between them, then close upon such bend to hold the same during the travel of the member in drawing out the web to lay a fold in one direction, and then open so as to release the web. The folding member shown in Figs. 4 to 6, Sheet 4, comprises jaws 6, 7, which extend, as in Fig. 5, from one chain to the other of the pair of carrying chains 1,1, by which such member is supported and moved in the described path. One jaw, 6, of the said pair of jaws is fixedly connected with oppositely-located links of said pair of carrying chains. The other jaw, 7, is mounted pivotally at 8, Figs. 4 and 6 at its opposite ends in connection with the carrying chains. Jaw 7 is furnished with an operating arm' 9 at each end thereof. Contracting spiral springs 10, 10, connected to these arms tend to rock the jaw 7 so as to close it toward the companion jaw 6. The jaws are opened through the contact of rolls ll, 11, carried by the operating arms 9, 9, with stationary cams 12, 12, and 13, 13. The cams 12, 12,

are located at the upper turn in the path of the pair of carrying chains and the folding member carried thereby, and act to open the jaws for the reception of a bend of the web. As the rolls 11, 11, leave the said cams the jaws are closed upon the said bend by the action of the springs 10, 10. The cams 13, 13, are located at the lower turn in the said path, and act to open the jaws for the release of the web. For convenience in construction, the cams 12, 12, in connection with each pair of chains are mounted upon and supported by the shaft 2 of the sprocket-wheels 2, 2, for such pair of chains, but do not rotate therewith, and the cams 13, 13, for the respective pairs of chains are mounted upon. the shafts 4, 4, of the guide-sheaves 3, 3, but do not rotate.

In the present construction, each pair of carrying chains 1, 1, carries a folding member, each of the latter comprising a pair of jaws 6, 7. The folding member of one pair of chains alternates in action upon the web with that carried by the other pair.

As a pair of jaws 6, 7, carried by either pair of chains passes around the sprocketwheels 2, 2, supporting such chains, the said jaws having been opened by the corresponding cams 12, 12, the web is pushed in between the opened jaws by means of a blade 14. The blade which performs this duty rotates in unison with the sprocket-wheels 2, 2, for the other pair of chains, in the present construction. This, however, while preferred for its convenience, is not in all cases essential, and the blade may be otherwise supported and actuated. Each pair of sprocket-wheels 2, 2, carries a blade 14. As the rolls 11, 11, pass off the said cams 12, 12, the jaws close together. In the present instance, the divergence between the circle in which the blade 14 revolves and the path of the jaws causes the blade to draw out from between the jaws, leaving a bend of web in the grasp of the latter. The blade is loosely hung or swiveled to the said sprocketwheels, so that it may turn or swing to accommodate itselfto the jaws as the blade travels around in a circular pathand the jaws'follow the path of the chains. As the pair of jaws which has taken hold of the web in the manner described advances along its path, keeping hold of the web at a given point in the length of the latter, it draws a fold of the web out in one direction. As such pair of jaws passes around the guidesheaves 3, 3, for such pair of chains, the

pair of jaws carried by the other pair ofchains passes around the corres onding sprocket-wheels 2, 2, and is opened by the appropriate cams 12, 12, the blade 14 carried by the other pair of sprocket-wheels 2, 2, inserts a bend of the web therebetween and withdraws, and the said second pair of jaws having closed upon the said bend such jaws proceed along their divergent path, keeping hold of the web at a distance from the point engaged by the first pair of jaws equal to the length of a fold. As either air of jaws approaches the outer turn in 1ts path of movement, itsrolls 11, 11, pass upon the cams 13, 13, and thereby the said pair is opened, so as to release the portion of web held thereby. The jaws are held from closing suddenly again by runways 15, 15,-to which the rolls 11, 11, pass from the high portions of cams 13, 13. These runways extend from the cams 13, 13, to the cor responding cams 12, 12. They control the extent of the closing of the empty jaws, and lead the rolls 11, 11, to the peripheries of cams 12, 12, so that they pass upon such cams easily and without striking a blow in first encountering the same. The runways and cams 12, 12, may be arranged to hold the jaws continuously open during the return part .of their travel and until ,the web is again introduced between'them, or the runways may be omitted altogether.

The cams 13, 13, are made angularly adjustable, to enable them to be set so as to effect the release of the web by the respective folding members at the required oints. To this end, each thereof is mounted upon its supporting shaft 4 with capacity to turn thereon, and is provided with an arm 13, and a stand 16 fixed upon the carriage framework is provided with a pair of setscrews 17, 17, between the inner ends of which enters a lug 13 of such arm. By manipulation of these set-screws the required adjustment of the point of release may be effected.

The successive folds a are deposited by the traveling folding members in a pile upon the floor or upon a platform or table 19. To hold the doubled portion of web just deposited by one folding member and prevent it from being drawn back by the movement of the other, I provide rimary and secondary holding jaws 20 and 21 for each end of the pile.

Each primary holding jaw 20 (see more particularly Figs. 7 and 8) consists of a curved shell attached to arms 2O hung ivotally upon a transverse rod 20 carried arms 20 fixed upon the supporting shaft 4 for one pair of the guide-sheaves 3, 3. Each of the said arms 20 carries a roll 20, and such roll is held in contact with the face of a cam 2O by means of a contracting spiral spring 20. fixed to the arms 13', 13 and do not rotate. The lower portion of each holding jaw 20 is the web-holding portion. Its radial distance from the axis of shaft 4 is determined by the ortion of stationary cam 2O with which tie roll 20 is in contact. For the purpose of raisin the said jaw from the pile to permit a fi'esh fold to be deposited The cams 20*, 20", are

by a traveling folding member, and return ing it to engage with such fold, the supporting shaft 4 has combined therewith means for rocking it at the roper intervals. For this purpose each sha 4 has attached thereto a toothed segment 22, Fig. 2, and an arm 23 mounted pivotally at 24 upon the carriage is provided with a toothed segment meshing with segment 22, and also is provided with a pin or roll engaged by a rotating cam 25, mounted on a transverse shaft 25*. Such shaft and cam are driven by a sprocket-gearing 26, 27, 28, Figs. 1 and 2, from the adjacent shaft 2*. Only themechanism for rocking the left-hand shaft 4 is shown in Fig. 2. That for rocking the right-hand shaft 4 is or may be at the other end of the machine. When a holding-jaw 20 is swung upward by the rocking of shaft 4 the roll 20 passes u on a less prominent portion of cam 2O and permits the spring 20 to draw the acting portion of such holding-jaw inward. Thereby at the same time that the holding-jaw is raised from the pile of folded web it is caused to swing inward clear of the path of the corresponding folding-member as the latter brings a fresh fold to the pile, as at the right hand side in Fig. 3. When the holding-jaw is swung downward toward the pile again the roll 2O is carried to a more prominent portion of cam 20 Thereby at the same time that the holding-jaw is rocked downward toward its working position it is moved outward so as to cause 1t to press upon the pile of folded web, as at the left hand side in Figs. 2 and 3.

Each secondary holding-jaw 21 is carried by the lower end of a lever 21*. The levers 21, 21, are provided with ins or rolls working in the grooves 21*, Fig. 2, of carndisks 21, 21, fixed on the shafts 25, 25, carrying the cams 25 from which the shafts 4, 4, are rocked. The said cam-grooves swing the secondary holding-jaws in a horizontal direction. To give a vertical movement thereto the levers 21, 21*, respectively are mounted pivotally upon arms 21 21, of rockshafts 21, 21, mounted upon the carriage and having other arms that have connected thereto yoke-arms 21, 21 provided with pins or rolls working in other camgrooves 21, Fig. 3, in said cam-disks 21, 21.

in operation, a secondary holding-jaw 21 normally occupies a working position, pressing upon one end of the pile, as at the right in Figs. 2 and 3, the primary holding-jaw occupying its elevated and inwardly-retracted position. As the folding-member passes the primary holding-jaw the latter is swung around toward the pile and at the same time moved radially outward so as to press upon the new fold. About at this time the sec-" ondary holding-jaw is withdrawn horizontally, as at the left in Figs. 2 and 3, and

after the folding member passes upward out,

of the way such holding-jaw is caused to pass above and come down upon the new fold, the primary holding-jaw withdrawing.

To accommodate the increase of the pile a as the layers of web accumulate thereon I may employ a yielding table or platform, or one that is lowered automatically, of any of the approved types known in the art. I have herein shown the folding mechanism mounted upon a carriage which is movable vertically so as by a gradual rise to accommodate the said increase. The said carriage, the framework of which is designated 2*, 2

as hereinbefore mentioned, is mounted between stationary uprights 30, 30. The carriage is furnished with flanged rolls 31, 31, in upper and lower pairs engaging with the said uprights to control the position of the carriage with relation to the uprights, and facilitate movement of the carriage vertically upon the uprights. The weight of the carriage is counterbalanced by means of weights 32, 32, hung to chains 33, 33, passing from the carriage upward to and around guide-sprockets 34, 34. The guide and feedroll at is supported by the upper portion of the carriage 2 The driving connections in Figs. 1, 2, 3, etc., comprise a driving-shaft 35 mounted in stands 36, 36, and having fixed thereon a sprocket-wheel. 37 from which a sprocketchain 38 extends to a sprocket-wheel 39 on the guide-rod a*, which latter is supported by upright arms 40, 40, mounted loosely upon driving-shaft 35. A second sprocketwheel 41 revolves in unison with sprocketwheel 39, and from Wheel 41 a sprocketchain 42 extends to a sprocket-wheel 43 fixed on the shaft of the guide and feedroll (1 Bars 44, 44, extending from the shaft of the latter roll to the guide-roll a hold said guide-rod at a constant distance from the roll a so as to maintain sprocketchain 42 in a state of uniform tension, the arms 40, 40, being adapted to swing around the driving-shaft 35 to which their lower ends are hung. From guide-roll a one of the shafts 2 is actuated by means of spurgear wheels 45, 4G, and from said shaft 2 motion is communicated to the other by means of a sprocket-wheel 47, Figs. 1 and 2, fixed on the first of said shafts, a sprocket-chain 48 passing around said sprocket-wheel 47 and a second sprocketwheel 49, Fig. 2, mounted to turn loosely upon one of the rods or shafts 21 and a sprocket-wheel 50 fixed upon the other shaft 2 and with which the upper run of sprocketchain 48 engages. The cams 12, 12, are mounted loosely upon the shaft 2 by which they are supported. Each of said cams is provided with a spur-gear 51, Figs. 1, 5 and G. ith such spur-gear meshes a spur-gear 52 fixed on a short shaft 53 occupying a bearing in the adjacent sprocket-wheel 2.

At the other side of the said sprocket-wheel the shaft 53 has fixed thereon a spur-gear 51 meshing with a spur-gear or spur-teeth on the adjacent box or bearing for the shaft 2. The cam 12 is at the inner side of the sprocket-wheel. the boX or bearing at the outer side of such wheel, and the short shaft 53 carried by the sprocket-wheel has gear 52 fixed thereon at the inner side of the wheel and the gear 54 fixed thereon at the outer side of the latter. The sprocketwheel in its revolution carries the shaft 53 around the axis of shaft 2, but the gearing is so proportioned as to keep cam 12 stationary in its predetermined position, or to rotate the same at any desired differential speed relative to shaft 2. Elliptical gearing may be employed, if it is desired to give a rocking movement to the cam.

Preferably, I mount upon the shafts 2, 2, shells constituting rolls 60, 60, the peripheries of which come close together and support the web as it passes between them and also as the folds are carried out in opposite directions by the respective folding mem-' bers. Each roll has a longitudinal slit through which the corresponding blade 14 projects, and a longitudinal recess 6O which at one revolution of the shafts 2, 2, accommodates the opposite blade 14 and at another accommodates the folding member 6, 7, that passes around such roll.

The jaws 20 and 21 respectively are serrated and the projections of one are adapted to interlap with those of the other, so that as a jaw 21 is swung into position for engagement with a bend or fold of the web its projections pass down between those of the jaw 20 which is already engaged with the said bend or fold.

In the embodiment of the invention which has been described, the jaws of a folding member are opened by cam-action and closed by spring-action, and the blade 14 which tucks the web in the form of a bend between such jaws is carried by wheels upon one of the shafts 2*". The embodiment shown in Fig. 9 dispenses with the cam-action and spring-action in question. It is character ized by having the jaws 6, 6, of the respective folding members so combined with the carrying chains 1, 1, and the guides or wheels 2, 2, and 3, 3, around which the said chains pass so proportioned, that by the bending of the chains in conforming to the said guides 2, 2, the jawsof a folding mem her are opened to receive a bend of the web, and by the straightening of the chains in leaving such set of guides the jaws are closed to grasp and retain the bend, while in conformingto the other set of guides, 3, 3, the jaws are opened to release the bend. It is characterized also by having the tucking blades 14, 14, carried by the chains. The respective jaws of the folding member guides around which the carried by each pair of chains are fixedly attached to adjacent links of the chains. The rolls or wheels 2, 2, constituting the opposite pairs of chains pass at the place where the web is received being of comparatively small diameter, it follows that as the links carrying a pair of jaws pass around the said rolls or wheels the bending of the links relative to each other causes the jaws to spread apart, as at the top in Fig. 9. to receive the cooperating tucking-blade 14 and a bend of the web. In passing off from the rolls or wheels in a tangential direction the links draw into a straight line, so that the jaws close toward each other upon the said bend and the tucking-blade. The tension of the chains causes the jaws to clasp the bend and blade with yielding pressure, but with sufficient clamping force to hold the bend of the web.

In order to hold the tucking blade and the jaws interlapped, with the tucking blade fully entered betweenthe jaws, until the jaws have closed fully upon the blade and the bend of the web, the respective pairs of chains in passing from the respective guides 2, 2, are caused to follow paths which diverge quite gradually, as shown. Thus the intermediate portions of the chains are guided by the large guide sheaves 4, 4. The straight paths of the chains in passing from the guides or sheaves 2, 2, to theguide sheaves 4, 4 keep the jaws 6, 6, closed upon the bend of web and the tucking blade between them, until the divergence of such paths has caused the withdrawal of the pair of jaws and the tucking blade from each other, leaving the bend held between the jaws. The rolls or wheels 3, 3, constituting the guides around which the opposite pairs of chains pass at the places where the bendsof the web are to be released being also of comparatively small diameter, it follows that as the links carrying a pair of jaws pass around the said rolls or wheels, the bending of the links .relative to each other again causes the jaws to spread apart to release the bend of web held thereby, and thereby cause the newly formed fold in the web to be deposited upon the pile.

I claim as my invention 1. In a web-folding machine, in combination, .a plurality of folding members, and means for causing said members to travel in opposite diverging elongated endless paths and to engage with the web in an alternating succession, thereby drawing it out in folds extending in opposite directions 91- ternately.

2. In a web-folding machine, in combinationyopposite endless flexible carriers traveling in elongated paths approaching each other at the web-receiving place and di- .verging obliquely therefrom, and folding members moved by said carriers and caused to engage with the web in an alternating succession and deliver it in oppositely-extending folds.

3. In a web-folding machine, in combination, opposite endless flexible carriers traveling in paths approaching each other at the web-receiving place and diverging therefrom, folding members moved by the re spective carriers and operated thereby. to form the web into oppositely-extending folds, and adjusting means to; vary the length of fold.

4. In a webfolding machine, in combina tion, opposite endless flexible carriers traveling in paths approaching each other at the web-receiving place and diverging therefrom, folding members moved by the respective carriers and operated thereby to form 'the web into oppositely-extending folds, and means to adjust the distance between the outer portions of said. paths and thereby vary the length of fold.

5. In a web-folding machine, in combination, oppositely-acting folding members, means for causing said members Respectively to travel in endless paths approaching each other at the web-receiving place and diverging therefrom and for operating them to form the web into oppositely-extending folds, and means for adjusting the length of fold.

6. In a webfolding machine, in combination, oppositely-acting folding members, means for causing said members respectively to travel in elongated endless paths ap-' proaching each other at the web-receiving place and diverging therefrom and for operating them to deliver the web in oppositely-extending folds, and jaws for clamping the'folds in place as successively delivered.

7 In a webfolding machine, in combination, oppositely-acting folding members, means for causing said members respectively to travel in endless paths approaching each other at the web-receiving place and diverging therefrom and for operating them to deliver the web in oppositely-extending folds, and'jaws which retract Within the paths of said members to permit passage of the latter and then project to clamp the folds in place as successively delivered.

8. In a web-folding machine, in combination, oppositely-acting folding members, means for causing said members respectively to travel in endless paths approaching each other at the web-receiving place and diverging therefrom and for operating them to deliver the web in oppositely-extending folds, jaws which retract within said paths to permit passage of said members and project to clamp the folds in place as successively delivered, and supplemental jaws which close upon-the folds to hold them while the other jaws are retracted.

9.. In a web-folding machine, in combination, opposite pairs of web-folding clamps,

- means for causing said clamps to travel in {elongated endless paths approaching each other at the web-receiving place and diverging therefrom, cams controlling the closing of said clamps upon bends of the Web at said place, and cams controlling the opening of the clamps to subsequently release the folds. v

10. In a web-folding machine, in combination, opposite web-folding members each comprising a pair of relatively-movable clampingjaws, flexible endlesscarriers by which such members are presented alternately at the web receiving place, cams con trolling the closing of such clamps upon bends of the web at such'place, and cams controlling the opening of the clamps to subsequently release the folds.

11 In a web-folding machine,-in combination, flexible endless carriers, wheels supporting said carriers adjacent the web-receiving place, web-folding members operated by said carrier-sand each comprising relatively-movable jaws, cams controlling the closing of such clamps upon the web at the said place, and gearing for controlling said cams comprising a toothed element in connection with a cam, located at one side of a wheel, a toothed element at the opposite side of said wheel, and intermediate toothed elements carried by said Wheel and engaging at the opposite sides of thelatter with the toothed elements first mentioned, respectively.

12; In a web-folding machine, in combination, opposite folding members comprising clamps, means for operating said members in paths approaching each other at the webreceiving place and diverging therefrom, and to alternately engage with the web at such place, cams controlling the opening of the clamps to release the oppositely extending folds, and means to adjust the said cams to vary the points of release.

13. In a web-folding machine, in combina-,

tion, opposite folding members comprising clamps, carriers for said members traveling in divergent paths, means for controlling said clamps to engage with the web alternately at the web-receiving place, guides around which such carriers turn for their return travel, cams adjacent the turns controlling the opening of' the clamps and the release of the folds, and means for adjusting the cams to vary the points of release.

14. In a web-folding machine, in combination, opposite flexible endless carriers traveling in elongated paths approaching each other at the web-receiving place and diverging therefrom, clamps operated by said cart a x 1,1093%;

riers to draw out folds in opposite direc- In testimony whereof I afiix my signature tions alternately, means for inserting bends in presence of two witnesses. of the web into the grasp of the respective l WILLARD I. LEWIS. clamps, and cams controlling the closing of Witnesses: 5 the clamps upon said. bends and the subse- CHAS. F. RANDALL, quent opening of the clamps to release them. ELLEN 0. SPRING. 

